There are churches all around Indianapolis, yet many families don’t attend weekly services. Many people don’t have transportation, don’t know how to form a relationship with God, or don’t feel they own “church attire.”
Many churches are changing traditions and forming churches in the inner city of Indianapolis to capture a lost demographic. Attendees are learning how to grow in their faith, are able to wear casual clothes, and can connect with a church closer to their home.
Inner City Ministry (ICM), located at 2700 N. College Ave., is a church that’s reaching out. ICM is the vision of Terry Webster Sr., senior pastor of Nu Corinthian Baptist Church.
Inner City Ministries has services Sundays at 12:30 p.m. along with other community-based programs throughout the week. The ministry participates in a summer feeding program where children under the age of 18 can have breakfast and lunch and socialize in a safe environment. There is a monthly clothing and food drive where people in the community can receive donated items. On Tuesday nights from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., hot dinners are available.
People who are looking for a place to grow in their faith, and become educated can visit Victory Chapel.
From its humble beginnings of ministering to the homeless in Willard Park, Victory Chapel has since grown to help the community in many ways. They do this by getting residents to better their community.
Victory Chapel also offers a Hispanic ministry, for the growing Hispanic population. There’s also the Keystone Urban Institute, which offers urban ministry, and courses that go toward college credit.
“The urbanization of the modern world means that the church must engage the issues of the city and establish congregations in the centers of population,” said Stephen Gibson, director of Keystone Urban Institute.
Now that school is out for the summer, it’s important that youth have a place where they can go and socialize with their friends and learn how to build a relationship with God.
The City of Peace Ministerial Coalition, which is made up of seven predominately African-American congregations, is launching Club Hope at Barnes United Methodist Church on West 30th Street. Club Hope’s main purpose is to be a safe haven, as well as an outreach center designed to cut back on violence. Club Hope is open to youth between 12 and 18 years old.
“We believe that this is very important because our target group is at-risk and high-risk youth, some of the young people that not even the church have been able to reach. We feel like this program will reach them,” said Rev. Charles Harrison, pastor of Barnes United Methodist Church.
Club Hope will meet every Friday at 7 p.m. at Barnes United Methodist Church. Youth are welcome to come and take part in games, dancing and other activities.
For more information call Nu Corinthian Baptist Church at (317) 329-4076 or visit Nucorinthianbaptistchurch.org; Victory Chapel at (877)-281-6535 or umc.org; and Barnes United Methodist Church at (317) 923-9197 or umcom.org.
